Malawi Police, PP deny Tony Ngalande’s arrest story: ‘It’s a fabrication’
The governing Peoples Party (PP) has hastened to quell reports circulating on social media that one of its senior officials Tony Ngalande was arrested and later released by police in Namitete, Lilongwe after being found in possession of Indian Hemp.
The party’s deputy publicist Ken Nsonda, said the story which was carried online by Malawi Voice is a mere fabrication aimed at tarnishing the image of the ruling party and President Joyce Banda.
The story initially alleged that Ngalande had implicated the State President as being the owner of the bags of the banned substance.
“Peoples Party would like to categorically refute the above allegations which appeared in a DPP online publication; Malawi Voice dated 3rd August, 2013. The article is not true, misleading and a cheap DPP political propaganda to frustrate Hon Tony Ngalande’s political career,” contended Nsonda in the media statement.
Nsonda went on to defend Ngalande describing him as a successful business man who cannot survive on Indian hemp business.
Said Nsonda: “The youthful PP aspirant for Balaka North Constituency, Hon Tonny Ngalande is not only a successful businessman, but also a very dedicated Christian, hard working and committed PP NEC member.”
When contacted later, Ngalande said he was shocked at the wave of personal attacks the controversial online publication has been throwing at him.
Asked on whether he would seek litigation over the fake article, Ngalande said he has not yet made any decision but emphasized that he is considering all options on the table.
“I’m currently in my home area in Balaka, I have not been to Namitete recently and I wonder why Malawi Voice would publish an article that is unfounded and not true, I’m really shocked.
“What is even more painful is the fact that they mentioned the President as being owner of the bags of Chamba this is disrespectful to the Head of State,” explained Ngalande in a telephone interview.
The online publication has on several occasions been at odds with the current regime to an extent that its editor Justice Mponda spent time in the cooler for publishing fake stories that caused uproar.
Among the series of fake articles that put the online editor in trouble included the one alleging that President Banda had resigned from her position as head of state, another one alleged that Malawi had sent packing Tanzanian envoy in view of the lake row.
Meanwhile, national police spokesperson Rhoda Manjolo has also refuted the arrest of the PP NEC member saying, “that is not true and we are currently investigating the source of the story.”
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